Onager

The Onager (Equus hemionus), is a large mammal belonging to the horse family. It is native to the deserts of Syria, Iran, Pakistan, India, Israel, and Tibet. It is sometimes referred to as the half ass or Asian Wild Ass. There are six subspecies recognized, of which one is extinct and two endangered. Their range has contracted greatly under pressures of hunting and habitat loss.

Onagers are a little larger than donkeys at about 640 pounds and 6.8 feet lengthwise. They are short-legged compared to horses, and their coloring varies depending on the season. They are generally reddish-brown in color during the summer, becoming yellowish-brown in the winter months. They have a black stripe bordered in white that extends down the middle of the back. Onagers are notoriously untamable.